Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Lands End Canvas Slim Fit Chinos

I'm always recommending Lands End Canvas to folks looking for well made, well fitting basics on the cheap, but as far as their pants are concerned the jury is still out. Hopefully that will all change based on the reception of their new slim fit chinos. Slim fitting chinos are one of the hardest staples to get your hands on and not everyone has the connections in place to sell a non-essential organ on the black market in order to secure a pair of Unis Gio's. I don't have a hands on read of the LEC joints just yet since they are still really new, but hopefully we can get some in person intel shortly. Let me save my Mom the trouble of posting a comment - call your local Sears to see if they carry LEC in store so that way you can try a pair on and see for yourself how the fit is (it is an established fact that 83% of American mothers are experts when it comes to shopping at Sears). And if you're the real cavalier/living on the edge type, as I am sure a few of you are, cop a pair blind and just return them if they aren't up to snuff. Also, for $40 I am totally for taking these to your tailor to have some work done done since the overall cost will still come in under the price of a new microwave.

Anon @12:09 - Thanks for the kind words first and foremost. As per abusing certain terminology, I'm just trying to keep things conversational and laid back over here. Not to mention carve out my niche. Know what I mean?

It is just a little troubling that your sites constantly encourage people to buy knockoffs and cheap versions but you and your buddies are selling the real (very expensive) thing for a profit. I have even seen you chastise readers for slagging off the Urban Outfitters version of something and encouraging people to buy the real thing. Talking out of both sides of your mouth...

Anon @2:52- First off, nothing about Lands End or Lands End Canvas is cheap or a knockoff. They (and L.L. Bean for that matter) have been selling high quality goods for longer than we have been alive. Regardless of where the stuff is made, if you factor out the domestic manufacturing/Americana fetishism, it is still of a high quality when compared to their competitors.

Secondly, there are a variety of people who read this blog. Some of them can spend money on costly items ("the real (very expensive)" things) and some of them cannot. If I only focused one type of product/reader then I would be doing a great disservice to the other demographic. If this is perceived as "talking out of both sides of my mouth" then so be it.

Everyone who comments here is allowed to speak their mind as long as things stay respectful (to date I have only ever deleted ONE comment and I don't recall every chastising commentors.). Constructive criticism and discoursed is very much encouraged in fact. Everyone, including myself, is extremely opinionated on all this stuff and I would hope everyone spoke their mind. That was the long-winded way of thanking you for participating in conversation.

I have to say, the variety in brands featured here is a selling point, so to speak. There's just as much coverage as Land's End, LL Bean, etc. as there is Hamilton 1883 or whatever. Personally, I can't drop $180 on a shirt. I mean, I could, but my wife would murder me to death. I like knowing about the high qualify, low cost options out there.

Speaking of which, Land's End Canvas has a completely sick striped crest tie in their new collection:

For what it's worth, Gap has also dropped a new round of chinos, including a Slim Fit. They cost $50, $10 more than the Canvas chinos, but the side seam is less prominent on the Gap chinos, which makes them capable of being dressed up more.

My local Gap stocks the 'tailored straight fit.' There's also the 'tailored slim fit,' which my Gap doesn't stock but I did find online. I'd love to try both them and the Canvas chinos on to see how close they can come to J. Crew's Classic Fit Chino, which has become my Holy Grail of pant fit.

Really??? Thanks for the heads up jumpjet I'll be sure to stop by and check them out. I hope more and more companies in the US will embrace the slim fit chino look. They are so popular in Italy. It's about time! I'm in the market for a slim fit red and one in white.

I'm a big fan of the Canvas products I've purchased (and blogged about). I'd cop these in a heartbeat and report back if they came in my size. It's a bit disheartening that main-line Lands End products come in tall sizes, but Canvas doesn't.

If they came out with XS small sizes, I'd probably be more open to buying them for myself. But as it stands, J.Crew is the better option for people like myself. Although theirs fits are a bit inconsistent.

Anon- It's true man. If it was bullshit don't you think you would hear more people complaining about such nonsense? Why wouldn't I just delete yours or all the other hater comments? Go back to some old posts, if you want, and see for yourself. It's all there.

Shit, that would be the best 15 year old writer I've ever read.

And I don't care about being taken seriously by someone who uses parentheses when he obviously should use quotation marks. Just kidding. I had no idea people who continually read the blog didn't take me seriously. Why would you do that? Move on, right?

I'd like to see any of these Anonymous posters make a blog as consistently good and thoroughly enjoyable as this one. If you don't like it, don't read it. Your criticisms are superficial and childish. LAS seems to be doing just fine doing what he's doing.

I just got a pair of these in the mail yesterday, and the fit is impeccable. They are slim but 'skinny', there is no excess material in the seat, the fabric is soft but high-quality, the finish is great, and it's simply amazing for $40. They fit and feel significantly better than J.Crew's urban slim fit chinos. If you're on the fence, definitely take the plunge.

Chinos are sorta awful, really, despite their heritage. They have gone from the casual workman's trousers that prep kids elevated to cool by beating them to hell and wearing them with torn crotches and patched knees with a hand-me-down blazer from dad to St. Patrick's on Christmas Eve to the "fancy pants" that car dealers in Fontana, CA wear to weddings with a blue shirt and tie (no jacket, of course)...

...off my soapbox. THESE things are cool. I have a couple of them. No car dealer pants. Soft, comfortable, slim. Just right.

I tried these on in the store today, but didn't end up buying them since they didn't have my size (I'm 6'4" though, so that's hardly their fault).The fit was pretty good: the rise was just low enough to be a little uncomfortable, but I did like the cut on the legs - slim, but not skinny-jeans slim. Also, I thought the fabric was a little too heavy and washed-feeling, like the American Eagle cargo shorts I wore in highschool... Overall, they seem just fine, but I may opt for the ones from J. Crew instead.